an Instagram influencer, Jebara Igbara, also known as “Jay Manzini”, has pleaded guilty to luring investors into a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme. Authorities say he betrayed his followers and poured nearly $8 million into the sting.

According to a Justice Department reportIgbara asked his followers to send him Bitcoin BTC/USD Worth $2.5 million. He assured them that he would pay back the premium price for these transactions.

Officials say Igbara managed to solicit money from people who were part of New York’s Muslim community.

He promised to pay his fans a reasonable price for the bitcoin the fans sent to his wallet. He also sent fake bank transfer photos.

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“In today’s pleading, the defendant has admitted using his popularity on Instagram to prey on innocent investors and steal at least $8 million of their hard-earned cash. Along with our agency partners, this office is committed to bringing fraudsters to justice,” the Justice Department statement said.

Authorities say Igbara operated the Bitcoin Ponzi scheme by posting ads on his Instagram page saying he was trying to buy a large number of BTC, which prominent cryptocurrency trading firms would not allow him to do .

He has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges and is in federal prison for 20 years.